We’re going to Ibiza

Akshai Sarin heads to Ibiza and brings you his top picks in party central

Hot on the heels of the release of his album Connected, Akshai Sarin heads to Ibiza and brings you his top picks in party central

Having lived around the world and spent the last few decades travelling extensively (170 cities till date, if we’re counting), this year I decided to take a sabbatical from my job and direct my restless feet towards even more travel. The release of my new album, Connected – my fifth, but the first one using my own name as the artiste (rather than my various aliases) – was the perfect excuse to spend the summer travelling across Europe. My first stop: the International Music Summit (IMS) in Ibiza, where I’d been invited to be part of a panel discussion moderated by the Pied Piper of dance music, Pete Tong, on the emerging music market in India and Australia. I was also invited to play at the festival, amid a line-up that featured some of the world’s biggest DJs, from David Guetta, Tiësto and Carl Cox to Pete Tong, Basement Jaxx, Bob Sinclar and Fatboy Slim. A real honour.

Things took off on a high note right from day one: an invitation to dinner with Carl Cox, celebrating 50 years of the legend and his 36 years in the business. Hosted at the restaurant Lio right by Marina Botafoch, it was a spectacular event and attendees included the owners of superclubs Space and Pacha, and bigpoppa Pete Tong. The evening was fuelled by great food and plenty of wine, and Tong turned up the heat with never-before-heard stories of Carl’s crazy early days, full of innuendo and insider jokes. The evening reached a whole new level when the host, deciding that the paintings being auctioned for charity weren’t enough, put the bosses of Space, Pacha, William Morris Agency and Pete Tong under the hammer. The prize? Getting to throw them in the swimming pool.

Things got crazier when I joined the Indian crew at Pacha’s season opening night featuring EDM duo Chase & Status. It was one of the most amazing nights I’ve ever had, beatboxing and singing Hindi songs for people on the street with Rishab Joshi (of Mumbai progressive trance duo Lost Stories). We were up till 10 am! The next day, Dalt Villa in old Ibiza Town played host to the annual IMS Grand Finale Festival. After Guetta’s headline set, Nikhil Chinapa, Rishab and I were slotted to play the official party versus the Australian delegation that included Pacha resident Sarah Main and TV Rock.

Where to party

We went to the opening of Ushuaia at Playa D’en Bossa with its magnificent outdoor vibe, swimming pools and mammoth sound-and-light system. Doing the honours on the days we went were Fatboy Slim and Luciano (who will be in residence till October; the line-up for the rest of the season will include Swedish House Mafia and Avicii). Space Ibiza is a maze of six rooms – each the size of India’s largest clubs, and each featuring different music. The opening night had blistering sets by Carl Cox, Nic Fanciulli and 2ManyDJs, and the terrace had an amazing vibe with old school funk and disco. The crowd was the usual Ibiza mix of musicheads, millionaires and Eurotrash.

Where to eat

Other than the usual suspects like Cipriani’s and B. for Planet Sushi, Ibiza has some amazing tucked-away spots. I met with Danny Whittle, big boss at superclub Pacha, to get the low-down on the island’s hidden treasures. Danny has a penchant for Asian cuisine and (rightly) recommends San Juan road for some amazing restaurants. His suggestions include Bambuddha Grove, which serves Thai and Asian fusion, Nagai for sushi and Asian, and Es Caliu that serves up thinly sliced meat cooked to perfection (by you) on a hot rock. I’d also recommend Slow Food for a laidback vibe – owned by an Italian, it serves up super-healthy organic fare (for the most part). The pizza has the lightest crust I’ve ever eaten, and pairs well with fresh fruit salads and juices, and even mango lassi. Ivan, the owner, spent many years in Banaras and Goa studying tabla and yoga.

If you can’t make it to the interiors of the island, Fusion is a French-owned restaurant, located at Carrer Del Pais Basc. The restaurant boasts a sushi master, and the menu lists interesting dishes like Tom Kha soup with ravioli and Nasi Goreng, amid the usual delicious seafood. Ana, another India-visitor, owns Bar Barlovento at Marina Botafoch, which I recommend for its unpretentious vibe, great views, cool clientele and the best fresh OJ and Spanish omelette (to cure that inevitable hangover).

The other Ibiza

Though Ibiza is typically filled with ganjee-wearing douche bags who will hit on or drink anything, it also has a gentler side. Venture north to Benirrás beach on a Sunday to hang with the hippies and join a drum circle. No sound systems – just pure energy and dancing around a bonfire. Or ditch the English tourists at San Antonio and drive down the coast to Playa Des Salinas, for a breathtaking combination of hills and waterfront, reminiscent of California’s Route No 1, the Pacific Coast Highway.

It’s tempting to pop into Ibiza for just a weekend, but the island deserves at least four to five days of your time. “Eivissa has the energy of Scorpio in the zodiac, so you feel everything very strongly when you are here. Explore the dark energy, drugs, parties and the spiritual, bright side of it – they coexist a couple of paces apart” as Ana put it, so sublimely. If that’s not enough, Ibiza also has the most beautiful women on the planet. Damn, maybe I should have cancelled my return ticket.